


911! Emergency!

by WipperSnapper24



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Doesn't follow the show, F/M, M/M, Mild Language, Originally called Waiting in the Wings but I started over due to a severe case of Writers Block™, Rated for language and references to other adult themes, Slow Burn Ish, if you've seen Bare you'll know what I mean, it's an Alternative Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 17:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17565050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WipperSnapper24/pseuds/WipperSnapper24
Summary: Cyrus Goodman loves Musical Theatre. The only thing that’d make him love it even more is if his friends auditioned with him for the schools production of Bare: A Pop Opera. But they’re always off busy doing something else.Buffy is off playing basketball, Andi is off doing art and Jonah is off playing Ultimate. He ends up having to audition alone.That’s how he becomes friends with his crush, TJ Kippen.





	1. Prologue

_So if you care to find me_

_Look to the western sky_

Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, began to take flight. Her cape billowed and danced to the sound of the orchestra, who were expertly keeping up with Elphaba’s insane vocals. Cyrus had never been more in awe in his life. How the heck was this happening? As a 9-year-old, he knew what was happening couldn’t be real. But that didn’t make it any less impressive.

_Tell them how I am defying gravity_

_I'm flying high defying gravity_

The wispy smoke flowed over the stage, the blue hazy lights illuminated her face and Cyrus had never been more glad he’d been forcibly dragged to the see the show. He thought he’d hate it. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

_And nobody in all of Oz_

_No Wizard that there is or was_

_Is ever gonna bring me down_

She was belting, or at least that’s what Cyrus thought it was called. That’s what Mommy called it anyway. And it was the most beautiful sound ever. Now everyone was coming in, singing their own lines to create something even more beautiful. Was that even possible?

_So we've got to bring her_

_Down_

The stage went black, the curtain quickly fell and the audience went wild. Cyrus would’ve like to have said that he was cheering the loudest, but he wasn’t. The noise of two thousand or so people cheering drowned out his high-pitched screeching.

As the lights came up, Cyrus immediately turned to his Mom.

“That was amazing!!!” he excitedly yelled, jumping up and down on the spot and clapping his hands. His Mom looked down at him fondly.

“What did I say, Cyrus? I knew you would enjoy it,” the young boy nodded enthusiastically.

“I want to be Elphaba someday!” Cyrus exclaimed, “One day that’ll be me on that stage, flying and singing!”

“I can’t way to see that, Cyrus,” His Mom grinned, “Now come on, lets go to the toilets in time for Act 2!”

“Yes, yes!” Cyrus said excitedly, “We can’t be late for Act 2!!”

He grabbed hold of his Mothers hand as she led them out into the aisle and up to the toilets. In his excitement, he let go of her hand and bounded on ahead.

“Slow down Cyrus!” He could hear her chuckle behind him.

“We can’t be late, we can’t be late!” Cyrus chanted, still rushing on ahead. Then he collided with another body. He was flung back onto the floor.

“Cyrus!” He could hear his Mom exclaim, rushing up beside him and kneeling down next to him, “Cyrus are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Cyrus blinked.

Looking up to his attacker, Cyrus saw a boy with dirty blonde hair. He wore a blue hoodie and grey jeans and his green eyes looked on at the scene he had created shyly and nervously.

“Tyler!” Another woman was rushing towards them, “Tyler, for gods sake. You can’t run around willy-nilly!”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, looking down, “I was playing with Amber,”

“I know, but you need to be more careful,” The woman looked down to Cyrus apologetically, “I’m so sorry about this,”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cyrus’s own Mom replied, “He’s fine. He’s still in a daze from Act 1, is all,”

“My two are the same,” The woman chuckled gesturing to the boy, Tyler she had called him earlier, and a blonde girl who was stood behind her. Then she turned to Tyler again, “Have _you_ apologised, Tyler?”

Brown eyes met Green and Cyrus gasped. The boy had the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen! Even prettier than his Nana, and that was saying something!

“I’m sorry,” Tyler mumbled, turning red in his embarrassment. The blonde girl snickered.

“I’m sorry, what was that Tyler?”

“I’m sorry,” Tyler said much clearer this time. Then he held out a hand to Cyrus to help him up. Cyrus hesitated for a moment, and then he took it. He was so close to the boy now. Those piercing green eyes were so close…

“You have the prettiest eyes!” Cyrus blurted out unwillingly. In response, Tyler went even redder than he was before. Behind him, he heard his Mom chuckle again.

“Thanks,” Tyler was back to mumbling, “You too,”

Cyrus couldn’t help the grin tugging at his own lips. Tyler wasn’t smiling, but he looked fairly pleased.

“Well then, Cyrus,” Cyrus turned to her, “Better head to the toilets, yes?”

“Yes Mom!” He took a step back, “We can’t be late!”

And then he bounded off. Partly because he didn’t want to miss Act 2, partly because he wanted to get out of the awkward situation he had created for himself.

As his Mom took his hand, he turned to look back to the scene of the crime.

Tyler was still looking at him.


	2. Thrice Denied

So many armpits, so little deodorant.

Every single morning in the school hallway was the same. Cyrus could only wonder how he could subtly tell everyone how bad they stank. Maybe if he gifted them all some cheap dollar store aftershave they’d get the message?

A sea of sweaty teenagers all trying to get to where they need to acted as a barricade between Cyrus and the safety of his locker. With a deep inhalation of breath, he pushed into the crowd.

Unfortunately, not everyone seemed to be in a rush. Friend groups congregated in their little areas which they had marked as their territory and discussed God knows what. And those who weren’t stopping completely were walking slowly. In Cyrus’s opinion those sorts of people should be locked in a separate hallway for the rest of time where they can slow walk without doing damage to the rest of society.

Eventually, he managed to push his way past the slow walkers to his locker. Jonah was already at his own locker, which was located right next to Cyrus’s, and seemed to be tapping away at his phone.

“Hey Jo-Lama-Jama!” Cyrus greeted, twisting in the combination for his own locker and pulling it open.

“Hey Cy,” Jonah looked up from his phone, giving Cyrus a wide dimply grin. Cyrus remembered the days when he would trip over his feet when he received a smile like that. Thank God those days were in the past, “Ready for the big day?”

“Huh?” Cyrus frowned. Was something big happening today that he’d forgotten about? Preparing for his audition had pretty much taken over his life for the past few days, what if he had let something really important slip his mind?

“Buffy’s game,” Jonah broke him out of his struggle. Oh. Oh yes! They were going up against Northshore High, who Jefferson had yet to win a game against. Cyrus had prepared posters and his chanting all last week. How had he forgotten that?

“Yeah, it’s gonna be great. They’re gonna win, I know it,” Cyrus turned to his locker and began to rummage through it. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t keep the space clean and organised. His eye was drawn to a crumpled A5 poster wedged between the folders and books. He reached in and took it out.

“How’d you forget about the game, man?” Jonah asked bemused, “You’ve been preparing for weeks,”

“I know. Just with the audition tomorrow, that’s basically been my life for the past few days,” Cyrus fiddled nervously with the crumpled poster in his hands.

_Come be apart of this years School Production! Bare: a Pop Opera!_

These were the words it declared in big bold letters and had captured Cyrus’s attention the instant he had been handed the poster by his drama teacher.

Cyrus loved musical theatre. He loved watching it, he loved being in it, he just loved everything about it! Thank God his Mom dragged him to see Wicked when he was nine!

But now he was fifteen, and so far he had been in two separate musicals.

Number one was Seussical, which he performed in when he was 12. Cyrus had only been part of the ensemble then, but still it had been so exhilarating being on stage and performing.

Number two was Footloose the Musical, which he had performed in just last year. Once again he had been in the ensemble, only this time he had been given a few speaking and singing lines. It had also been a great challenge in terms of dancing as their choreographer had went a bit overboard in terms of the dance breaks. But he managed it, even if he wasn’t as polished as everyone else. But his parents were proud of him anyway!

Now there was Bare: a Pop Opera. Cyrus hadn’t heard of it before the school mentioned it, but once he had learned of it he was drawn to the idea instantly. A story about two gay guys? Yes please!

But it was more than just the gays that attracted Cyrus. It was the whole score, the whole story. How everything connected so well, musically and story wise. It was so sad, so cute, so beautiful, so great! A brilliant acting opportunity! And that’s how his determination began.

Suddenly he was determined to get more of a role than just a few lines. He knew he’d never get the main role, but he could at least go for something bigger, that required more to do. And so the listening commenced. Learning the songs the audition required, preparing his feet so he didn’t trip over himself in the little dance they had to perform, making sure his acting was on fleek. It had pretty much consumed his life. So much so that he even forgot about Buffy’s game.

“Don’t worry about it, Cy-Guy,” Jonah comforted, “You’ll be completely docious, I just know it!”

“I thought you stopped saying docious,” Cyrus teased. The boy had seemingly grown out of his ridiculous phrase as he hadn’t said it in years.

“I did. But this seemed like an appropriate situation for it,” Jonah grinned, clapping Cyrus on the shoulder.

“You’re ridiculous,” Cyrus sighed, but his smile at Jonah did not falter, “Anyway, are you gonna audition as well?”

“No, Cyrus,” Jonah’s eyes went wide and shook his head, “I don’t have a musical bone in my body,”

“Oh come on! It’ll be fun,” Cyrus insisted.

“I’ll think I’ll have more fun watching you, Cy,” Jonah gave him the trademark Jonah Beck grin.

“Oh. Oh all right then…” Cyrus couldn’t help but be disappointed, “Maybe I can ask Andi or Buffy,”

“Yeah, maybe!” Jonah was still grinning at him, oblivious to Cyrus’s disappointment. That boy was far too oblivious for his own good. There was a time Cyrus was glad for his obliviousness, now it was just frustrating.

The bell cut through their conversation and the stragglers all began to make their way to class. Jonah slung his arm around Cyrus’s shoulder as they began to make their way to Maths.

“You’re gonna be awesome, Cy,” he declared. Yeah. Okay.

 

* * *

 

Lunchtime arrived finally and Cyrus’s stomach rumbled again. It had been doing so for the entirety of History and Cyrus was sure he had received at least three dirty looks because of the noise he was creating.

Buffy and Andi were already sat at their usual table by the time Cyrus rushed there. He plonked himself opposite them, opened his bag, took out a packet of Cheddar and Onion crisps and tore into it before beginning to crunch into them. He already felt so much better.

“Not even a hello?” Buffy raised her eyebrow.

“I’m hungry,” Cyrus answered through a mouthful of crisp.

“Clearly,” Buffy remarked.

For a while, Andi and Buffy talked while Cyrus just ate. He hadn’t eaten breakfast alright?! It wasn’t his fault, he had just distracted himself by watching Bare again, that’s all!

When Cyrus had finally quenched his desire for food, he tuned into the conversation between Andi and Buffy.

“-and Walker said yes!”

“What’s this about Walker?” Cyrus interrupted their conversation. Immediately, Buffy turned to him.

“Welcome back to the world of the living,”

“Hush Buffy. So what’s this about Walker?”

“I asked him out, and he said yes!” Andi said giddily. Cyrus almost felt like he could cheer.

“Finally!” Cyrus exclaimed, “I was wondering if you two would ever move past the pining,”

“Well we did, and I’m so happy,” Andi grinned.

“I’m happy for you Andi,”

“Me too,” Buffy chipped in, “But I will redact that happiness if you two show any affection when I can see you,”

“Oh quiet you,” Andi started, “Nobody says anything when you’re sitting in Marty’s lap,”

“I do not sit in his lap,” Buffy said affronted, “We just sit fairly close,”

“You may as well be sitting on top of each other,”

“Anyway,” Cyrus interrupted them once more, “Ready for the big game?”

“Of course. TJ’s been working us extra hard,” Buffy replied, “Although it’s a bit annoying. Like, does he not have any faith in us?”

“Come on, Buffy. The boy just wants to finally beat Northshore,” Andi said, “He’s done nothing wrong. At least not recently anyway,”

To say TJ and Buffy had gotten off on the wrong foot would be a massive understatement. The short version of the events were that TJ had been a dick to Buffy, Buffy responded by being a bit of a dick (although her words were more than justified) and it resulted in a lot of dickishness. Eventually, thanks to her tutoring him and his rapping skills (the less said about that the better) they had gotten past their rivalry.

Cyrus was glad about this for more than one reason. For one, it had been tiring seeing Buffy get so worked up because of TJ. Secondly, it made Cyrus feel better about his attraction to the Captain of the Basketball team. Not that Buffy knew about that. Not that she would ever know about that.

“I know he wants to win, I do too. I guess I’m just tired,”

“Mood,” Cyrus injected, “I’m bloody tired as well,”

“The audition?” Andi asked.

“The audition,” Cyrus confirmed, “I just really want it to go well,”

“It will, Cyrus,” Andi comforted him, “You’re gonna be absolutely amazing,”

“If you say so,”

“You will, Cyrus,” Buffy added on, “Don’t doubt yourself. Have a positive mindset,”

“I’ll try,” Cyrus sighed. Then, getting a burst of inspiration he said, “You know what’d give me a better mindset? If-”

“No,” Buffy interrupted.

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!”

“Were you or were you not about to ask us to audition with you?”

For a moment Cyrus was silent. “Maybe,”

“There you go,” Buffy took a bite out of her cheese sandwich, “And the answer's no,”

“Why not?” Cyrus pouted.

“You’re the musical one of our group, Cy,” Andi smiled lightly at him, “Our appreciation extends to just watching you in it,”

“I’m just nervous,” Cyrus looked to the table. He even stopped munching on his crisps.

“You have no need to be, Cyrus. You’re the most prepared person, for sure. You’re going to get a role, I know you are,” Andi said.

“Everything she just said,” Buffy agreed, “And if we tried to be in a musical we’d look like dying otters,”

“How do you know what a dying otter looks like?” Andi frowned.

“My point is,” Buffy said louder, “You’re the talented one in this area, Cyrus. Not us,”

“Okay,” Cyrus gave them a small smile. With his friends belief in him and newfound confidence, he ate another crisp.

 

* * *

 

Buffy was dribbling the ball down the court, or at least that’s what Cyrus thought she was doing. He really didn’t have a clue about any of the technical terms in this game.

She was about to shoot, she was about to shoot! She went for it! It went in!

The crowd went wild. On either side of him were Andi and Jonah, who were also cheering extremely loudly for their friend. Cyrus too was practically screaming praise at her. Jefferson High were now a point ahead of Northshore and they only had two minutes left! They might actually win this!

Cyrus had never found himself so enthralled in a game of sport before. Usually, he would zone out barely a few minutes in and here he was still fully paying attention with only two minutes left!!!

The ball was in the possession of Northshore now, and the players in their red Jerseys were quickly heading down the court. It was in possession of someone with the last name Jackson, then Collins, then Marks, Thomas, Hobbs, Gardnr, Kippen. Wait! Kippen! That was a blue jersey! That was TJ!

He was quickly gaining down the court back to their own hoop. Cyrus glanced up to the timer, there was only a minute left now! Then he stopped and threw the ball to Buffy, there was something he wouldn’t have done a few months ago! Their curly haired friend moved down the court even further before passing to a player with the last name Weed, who passed it to TJ. And he scored!!

Cyrus found himself amongst the Jefferson fans cheering. They had practically won the game at this point. Thirty seconds left and two points up!!

Northshore were once more frantically running down the court, passing from one to the other. But this time a ginger haired boy with the surname Phillips intercepted the ball, immediately throwing it to TJ who dribbled up the court once more. If he scored again Cyrus would really have to try hard to supress the urge to declare his love for the green-eyed boy.

He was gaining, he was gaining.

_5_

One more point, one more point, you can do it TJ!

_4_

It seemed everyone was cheering for TJ to get that point. Cyrus was loudest though.

_3_

Who knew sports could be so exciting?

_2_

Who knew basketball players could be so hot?

_1_

He scored!!

_0_

Jefferson High had won the game, beating Northshore for the first time in their history! The Jefferson team gathered together all high fiving and hugging. Cyrus didn’t know why they would hug; they were all sweaty and disgusting (although there was one player on that court he wouldn’t mind hugging).

“They won!” Andi cheered next to him, “They won! They won!”

“I think that’s obvious, Andiman!” Jonah laughed. But he was clearly happy too, everyone was. The only solemn faces in the house were the Northshore players. Cyrus couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness for them. But that feeling was quickly wiped out by his overwhelming happiness.

They had won!

 

* * *

 

The Basketball team had decided to go out for a celebratory meal, but Buffy decided to go to The Spoon with Cyrus, Jonah and Andi for celebratory Taters.

“Come on, Slayer,” Cyrus had heard TJ say to Buffy, “We’ve beaten Northshore, come celebrate!”

“I’d love to, Kippen, but I’ve got my own gang to celebrate with,”

It was then that Cyrus had locked eyes with TJ. The basketball boy looked extremely dishevelled, extremely sweaty, but no less attractive than usual. Cyrus’s heart stopped breathing for a few seconds. Wait, that didn’t make any sense. Maybe his brain stopped working too.

After what seemed like a decade where Cyrus couldn’t look away, TJ did so anyway, turning back to Buffy, “Alright then. Just so long as you make sure you celebrate,”

“I will,” Buffy answered, “I will,”

And so now they were here, munching on Baby Taters and discussing the game. Well, it was more Jonah and Buffy who were talking about the game. Cyrus’s appreciation for the sport extended to watching it in the moment, and that was it. He had no interest in a play by play of it _after_ the game was done.

Andi seemed to be of the same mindset. So while Jonah and Buffy discussed boring basketball, Cyrus had dragged Andi into a conversation about Bare. She didn’t seem to mind.

“I absolutely love the LA recording version, though,” Cyrus insisted, “Jonah Platt and Payton Lewis’s version of Jason and Peter are just amazing!”

“I prefer the 2004 off-Broadway version,” Andi argued, “Michael Arden has a beautiful voice,”

“I’m not saying he doesn’t, but Payson-”

“Can’t you just meet in the middle and say they’re both good,” Buffy interrupted, “We’re suppose to be having celebratory taters for _basketball_ , not Bare. You can have _your_ celebratory taters tomorrow, Cyrus,”

“I won’t even know if I’ve got a role until the day _after_ tomorrow,” Cyrus muttered.

“You’ll get a role, Cyrus. I’m sure of it,” Buffy ended the conversation, “Anyway, did you see the score I had near the end?”

Cyrus begrudging joined in with the basketball conversation, but even then he mainly focused on eating the Baby Taters. Eventually, though, the celebration was over and Cyrus had to get back before his curfew.

He and Jonah were walking back through the cold of the night, which was starting to creep up on them. Darkness hadn’t entirely hit yet, but one or two orange streetlights had flickered on.

As they walked in toe to their street (Jonah lived opposite Cyrus), Jonah asked, “So TJ, huh?”

Cyrus swallowed. He had a feeling he knew what this was about, his freaking out earlier was hardly subtle. And if Jonah, the most oblivious person Cyrus knew, could pick it up then God knows what TJ thought of him.

“What about him?” Like any sane person would do, Cyrus tried to go the dumb route first. After all, he may not be referring to Cyrus’s very obvious and not subtle attraction to TJ. He could be referring to something in the game itself.

“You like him, don’t you?” Aw shit. So Jonah did know.

“Why do you ask?” Still playing slightly dumb, but not completely saying no. Good move, Cyrus. Good move.

“You were staring at him pretty much throughout the entire game,” Jonah pointed out. Oh. So maybe the moment of eye contact hadn’t been as obvious as Cyrus thought. That was good. What wasn’t good was that Cyrus had been caught staring.

“Was I?” His voice came out far too squeaky and high pitched. Cyrus mentally slapped himself.

“Yeah. I tried to speak to you like 10 times and you didn’t respond,”

“It was loud in there?” Cyrus hated how unsure of himself he sounded. Honestly, he might as well have just said ‘yes’.

“It’s fine if you do like him, Cy,” Jonah reassured him, “I mean, he is pretty hot,”

If Jonah Beck, a straight boy, could admit that TJ was hot then it was probably safe for Cyrus, a gay boy, to admit it too.

“Yeah,” is all Cyrus said. Jonah clapped his hands together.

“I knew it,” he grinned.

“Whoo!” Cyrus faked enthusiasm, “But please don’t tell anyone, least of all Buffy,”

“I won’t,” Jonah assured him, “But why especially not Buffy? She won’t hate you for liking a _former_ rival. They’re friends now!”

“That’s not my problem,” Cyrus sighed, “Knowing her she’d try and do something stupid like set me up with him,”

“Why’d that be a bad thing?”

“Because that’d be really embarrassing, because he’s straight?”

“I dunno, Cy,” Jonah frowned, “I heard a rumour a month ago that he made out with Reed at a party. That doesn’t exactly seem like straight guy behaviour,”

“Only a rumour,” Cyrus dismissed it, “And even if that did happen, it just proves a different point of mine,”

“Which is?”

“TJ is hot and popular,” Cyrus started, “Reed is also hot and popular. Why would he go for someone like me, not hot and definitely not popular?”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Cy,” Jonah corrected him, “Maybe you’re not hot, but you’re definitely cute. Hell, you were _my_ bisexual awakening,”

What? “I’m sorry, what?”

“Yeah,” Jonah grinned, “And I’ve seen plenty of guys and girls look your way in the hallway. You’re more popular than you think, Cy,”

Cyrus was still stuck on Jonah’s previous comment, “You liked me? _I_ was your bisexual awakening? You’re bisexual? What!?”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Jonah frowned, “Shit, I guess not. Well I have now, I guess,”

“Yeah,” Cyrus said. He was still in a state of shock from pretty much all of Jonah’s comments.

By the time they arrived outside Cyrus’s house, it was pretty much dark and most of the streetlights had come alive, casting an orange glow upon them. The final stretch of their walk had been done in a comfortableish silence and Cyrus was about ready to flop onto his bed and contemplate everything.

“Hey, Cy,” Jonah caught his attention just as he was about to bid goodnight, “If you ever need to talk to anyone about TJ, or anything else, I’m here,”

“Thanks Jo,” Cyrus gave him a smile before wishing him a good night. Cyrus turned to head up the path to his house.

He had some thinking to do.


End file.
